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Punta Arenas |
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Punta Arenas, Chile
Punta Arenas was the departure point for our tour, and since we didn't overnight in Santiago, we spent two nights there. Punta Arenas
is on the Strait of Magellan and claims to be the southernmost city on the face of the earth! (Actually Ushuaia, Argentina is farther south, but is much smaller.)
We didn't expect much from Punta Arenas, but it was lovely. We spent a very pleasant day visiting the park with its statue of Magellan, exploring the lovely 1840's cemetery, and visiting the Maggiorino Borgatello museum of natural history and prehispanic ethnic groups.
We had a great dinner at the charming, colorful, La Marmita (Plaza Sanpaio 678), and pleasant paella our second night at La Tasca.
We stayed at Hotel Jose Nogueira, a beautiful historic mansion.
It's the best hotel in town, but the rooms are small, you might want to reserve one of the two suites if you book far enough in advance.
Hotel Finis Terrae is a good second choice. We had lunch in its attractive dining room with great views of the colorful rooftops and the strait.